Cartouche met twee mannen 1705 - 1761

Gabriel Huquier created this print of a cartouche with two men, sometime between 1695 and 1772. At first glance, it might just seem to be a decorative design, but there's more to it than meets the eye. This image offers a window into the cultural attitudes of 18th-century Europe, specifically regarding their relationship with Asia. The figures are dressed in what Europeans imagined to be Asian attire, perched atop an elaborate, shell-like cartouche. The inclusion of such figures in decorative arts reflects the period’s fascination with the exotic ‘Orient,’ driven by trade and colonial expansion. It's a fascination tinged with unequal power dynamics. To fully grasp this, we could delve into period travelogues, trade records, and other decorative arts, offering a fuller picture of how the 'Orient' was perceived and represented. These sources help us understand how art both reflects and shapes cultural attitudes.